Our Winter 2018 meeting on Climate Change, Agriculture and Our Food was well attended. Our panel presented a wide range of information on climate change impacts on food plants, pests and production, plant variety changes, techniques to address the coming changes, and the role of policy and governmental planning to steer change in practices.

Kirsten Conrad, Natural Resources Extension Agent, focused on how plants are physiologically affected by heat and other climate change impacts and outlined expected changes in foods that will grow in this region. She emphasized that high nighttime temperatures are often overlooked when talking about how rising temperatures are damaging plants. High nighttime temperatures increase plant respiration rates, which reduces biomass accumulation and crop yield. Kirsten ended her talk with a list of handy tips for how gardeners can adapt to the changing climate. Click here for her full presentation.

Don Weber, USDA Research Entomologist, discussed changes in pests and beneficial insects and adaptive approaches to controlling pests. Don focused on how microenvironments, microclimates (such as urban heat islands) and temperature extremes impact insects the most. He also provided a list of tips for gardeners, very similar to Kirsten’s list.Click here for his full presentation.

Tod Wickersham, Biodiversity for a Livable Climate and Beneficial Results, LLC, opened our discussion with an overview of climate change trends and how our weather is getting “weird.” He then highlighted how the use of regenerative agriculture and ecological restoration brings carbon back into soil and heals the climate. He highlighted ways that gardeners can bring regenerative practices to their own gardens and how people can work within their communities, and at the state and national levels to promote policies and regulations that will increase regenerative agriculture practices. Click here for his full presentation.

At our meeting, we also voted in three new board members: Robin Broder, Clean Water & Local Food Advocate and Nonprofit Consultant; Andrew Rude, Retired from Agency for International Development and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, and Nanda Setlur, a CPA and small business owner, Urban Farm Greens, a vertical hydroponic farming venture.

We want to thank Thomas Schneider, an original member of the Steering Committee and Board member, who has resigned so he can grow his nonprofit Rooftop Roots. He will continue to coordinate our Spring Potting Party with Marymount University.

We thank Arlington Central Library for once again providing a great venue for our meeting. We thank Pu Wen Lee from AFAC and Kirsten Conrad for bringing displays.

Our Mission: Facilitating community
collaboration to promote sustainable food systems for Arlington. Sponsored by
Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation.

Arlington Urban Agriculturearlingtonurbanag@gmail.comclimatechangeagricultureandourfood9http://sites.google.com/feeds/content/site/arlingtonurbanag/39553179955330161192017-12-14T16:31:46.609Z2018-01-09T01:43:44.454Z2018-01-09T01:43:40.416ZWinter is the Time to Read a Good Book on Farming & Food

Winter is a time when we put our gardens to bed and have time to read a good book on farming and food. To help you find that good book, here are a few of our favorite book lists:

The Arlington Food Assistance Center’s “Plot Against Hunger” program will host a Spring Garden Kickoff on Saturday, February 10th from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. The event will take place at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 4000 Lorcom Lane, Arlington, VA 22207, home of AFAC’s largest Plot Against Hunger garden.

The Kickoff will feature:

·Information about how Plot Against Hunger gardens provide fresh produce for AFAC clients and how to start one yourself

Arlington Urban Agriculturearlingtonurbanag@gmail.comafacspringgardenkickoff-feb10th1http://sites.google.com/feeds/content/site/arlingtonurbanag/70828319891650713582017-08-15T16:30:56.482Z2017-10-29T20:16:44.891Z2017-10-29T20:16:43.389ZFOUA Presentation: What Healthy Soils Mean to You -- and Beyond

What Healthy Soils Mean to You – And Beyond

Saturday, September 16, 1:00pm –
2:30pm

Arlington Central Library

Come learn about what healthy soils mean to you, your health, your community, clean
water and even climate change. We'll have a few short films and a panel
discussion with local experts on healthy soils in your own backyard, in the
community, on local farms, and for the planet.

July 29, Saturday - Help at Marymount Farmers Market to staff a FOUA table and the Market’s table. Get an insider’s view of running a market and promote FOUA. Time slots are 8 – 10 am, 9 – 11 am or 11 am – 1 pm. Contact Audrey Morris at agmorris1@yahoo.com. The market runs Saturdays 9am - 1pm May 27 through Nov. 18.

August 18 – 20 – Arlington County Fair. Help staff a table promoting FOUA and Arlington County urban agriculture activities, for a 2-hour time slot on Friday or Saturday, August 18 - 19. Contact Audrey Morris at agmorris1@yahoo.com.

Have you heard? The 2017 Virginia Urban Agriculture Summit will be held in Arlington on Oct 5 - 6 at the George Mason University campus. Presentation proposals are DUE JULY 31 by 5:00pm.

Do you have an Urban Agriculture issue or program to present that is innovative, reaches new audiences, is resourceful, or uses small budgets to achieve a big impact? Submit a proposal for either a seven-minute presentation in a 7 x 7-minute 'popcorn' style forum, or to facilitate a table at a workshop.

Electing our first Board of Directors in May takes FOUA a giant step forwards. It was enabled by adoption of our Bylaws in December 2016 and replaces the Steering Committee. Our first meeting in June started with the election of officers provided for in the Bylaws. They are:

Audrey Morris, President – Served on FOUA’s Steering Committee, coordinates two gardens for AFAC and was on the County’s Urban Agriculture Task Force. Currently on planning committee for the Virginia Urban Agriculture Summit to be held October 5-6 in Arlington.

Aisha Salazar, Vice President - Served on FOUA’s Steering Committee, is Food and Nutrition Coordinator for the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), and manages the Fairlington Farmers Market.

Margaret Brown, Secretary – Recently retired as Central Services Division Chief and Arlington Central Library Manager where she was instrumental in creating the Tool Shed to lend gardening tools from Central Library and in creating the AFAC and native’s gardens on the Library grounds, and has been certified as a Master Gardener.

Amy Sawyer, Communications Director – Coordinates the Tool Shed/Tool Lending Program at Arlington Central Library and brings with her extensive experience in other areas with outdoor learning for children and adults, gardening, native plants and wildlife habitat, and a “Kill Your Lawn” program.

Thomas Schneider, Treasurer - Served on FOUA’s Steering Committee, and is a life-long Arlington resident and Executive Director of the non-profit Rooftop Roots in the District of Columbia where he leads operational development and logistics. He manages the container garden at Central Library and other gardens.

Arlington Urban Agriculturearlingtonurbanag@gmail.comintroducingfouasinauguralboardofdirectors1http://sites.google.com/feeds/content/site/arlingtonurbanag/26181298479545018582017-05-03T10:34:19.025Z2017-05-03T10:35:30.458Z2017-05-03T10:35:28.178ZMay 17 – General Meeting on Organic Wastes – Will They Feed Our Future? Flyer at the bottom of this post!

May 17 – General Meeting

Organic Wastes – Will They Feed Our Future?

Wednesday, 7 pm at Arlington Central Library Auditorium

Panel – What becomes of our wastes? What is the future? What we can do better?

Plot Against Hunger presents the 4th Annual Spring Garden Kick-off featuring speakers, knowledgeable practitioners, free seeds, and demonstrations of garden techniques. The kick-off is a great way to learn about how to start a garden for AFAC, how to donate produce to AFAC, and hear from community garden coordinators and others about lessons learned. For information, contact Puwen at plotagainsthunger@afac.org

Join the Arlington Food Assistance Center and the Friends of Urban Agriculture for a panel discussion "Waste Not, Want Not, Solutions to Prevent Food Waste" on Thursday, December 1st at 6:30pm at Arlington Central Library Auditorium (1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington VA). Learn how organizations are trying to solve the problem of food waste on national and local scales and how you can get involved at home, school, or at work. The discussion will feature Claudia Fabiano from the EPA, Theresa Coffman from the Food Bus at Tuckahoe Elementary School, Regina Northouse from the Food Recovery Network, and Kai Robertson, independent sustainability advisor.

Join us for refreshments and a cooking demonstration at 6:30pm and a brief Friends of Urban Agriculture meeting at 6:45pm to learn about a new project.

Arlington Food Assistance Center's Aisha Salazar and Puwen Lee will present a workshop “Waste Not Want Not: Food Recovery at AFAC” at Rooting D.C. (Wilson High School – 3950 Chesapeake St NW, Washington DC), the largest annual forum in the area that offers workshops and information sessions held for and by individuals and organizations who work with gardening, food security, nutrition, and local agricultural issues. Free and open to the public.
For details, see rootingdc.org.

Saturday, March 19th, 9 am – 1 pm
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
4000 Lorcom Lane at Military Road Arlington, VA 22207
• Learn about AFAC’s Plot Against Hunger gardens in our area and how to start your own.
• Attend presentations on seed starting and season extension, straw bale and “lasagna”
gardening, irrigation and mulching, and body mechanics for gardeners.
• Learn about best practices in growing vegetables in our region.
• Special exhibits on irrigation with ollas, mushroom growing, herb kits, container & window
gardening.
• Learn about methods of water conservation & order rain barrels through the Northern Virginia
Rain Barrel Program.
• Presentation on composting and building compost bins (bins will be available for sale).
• Special presentation by on-site beekeeper.
• Cooking and tasting activities for children.
• Free vegetable and herb seeds and fruit root stock for AFAC gardens.
• Bonus: demonstration of pruning and grafting of apple trees in church orchard after
presentations and tour of garden (weather permitting)

The next Arlington Friends of Urban Agriculture meeting that was scheduled for Tuesday, January 26 has been postponed due to weather, and the possibility that the meeting facility will be closed. We will re-schedule the meeting at a later date to be determined. Stay tuned for updates!

Danielle is George Mason University’s
(GMU) Manager of Outreach and Engagement for the Office of Sustainability. She
is a Certified Permaculture Design Instructor and promotes certification
courses and other sustainability initiatives for GMU. Permaculture
creates sustainable and self-sufficient food ecosystems using agricultural and
social designs observed in nature. These designs are easily adapted for home
landscapes.

Mosquitoes vs. Pollinators:

Controlling mosquitoes without harming
people, pollinators or other critters

Join us for our quarterly meeting on Tuesday, May 10, 7-8:30 PM at Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy Street. Learn more about our organization and the volunteer opportunities we have available. Listen to three outstanding speakers explain where Arlington's food is grown and how it gets to your table from national, grower and farmers' market perspective.